Molecules and methods for treatment and detection of cancer

Abstract

The invention provides a method for inhibiting proliferation of cancer cells, as well as methods for detecting and treating various cancers, including cancer of the ovary, breast, prostate and colon. The method comprises contacting a cancer cell with an IGF-related molecule of the invention or administering an IGF-related vaccine to the cancer patient. In one embodiment, the molecule is an immunogenic peptide derived from IGFBP-2 or from IGF1 R. The invention additionally provides methods for detecting and treating cancer using IGF-related molecules.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An immunogenic peptide comprising an immunogenic fragment of an IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the immunogenic fragment consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14. 
     
     
       2. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       3. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 2  further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
       4. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 1  further comprising the amino acid sequence of a heterologous peptide. 
     
     
       5. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 4 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the heterologous peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of T helper epitope. 
     
     
       6. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 4 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the heterologous peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of an immunogenic fragment of an IGF1R polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35. 
     
     
       7. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 6 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the immunogenic fragment of the IGF1R polypeptide is selected from SEQ ID NOs: 36-55. 
     
     
       8. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 1  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic fragments of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising a MHC class II binding epitope, wherein said additional immunogenic fragments consist of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 2-13 and 15. 
     
     
       9. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 1  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic fragments of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising an HLA-A2 binding epitope, wherein said additional immunogenic fragments consist of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 16-22. 
     
     
       10. A nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic peptide comprising an immunogenic fragment of an IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the immunogenic fragment consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14. 
     
     
       11. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 10  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       12. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 11  further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
       13. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 12 , wherein the adjuvant is a cytokine. 
     
     
       14. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 11 , wherein the nucleic acid is disposed within a plasmid expression vector. 
     
     
       15. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 2  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic peptides comprising an immunogenic fragment of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising a MHC class II binding epitope, wherein said immunogenic fragment consists of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 2-13 and 15. 
     
     
       16. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 2  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic peptides comprising an immunogenic fragment of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising a HLA-A2 class II binding epitope, wherein said immunogenic fragment consists of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 16-22. 
     
     
       17. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 2  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic peptides comprising the amino acid sequence of an immunogenic fragment of an IGF1R polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35. 
     
     
       18. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the immunogenic fragment of the IGF1R polypeptide is selected from SEQ ID NOs: 36-55. 
     
     
       19. An immunogenic peptide comprising an immunogenic fragment of an IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the immunogenic fragment consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16. 
     
     
       20. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of  claim 19  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       21. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 20  further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
       22. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 19  further comprising the amino acid sequence of a heterologous peptide. 
     
     
       23. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 22 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the heterologous peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of T helper epitope. 
     
     
       24. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 22 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the heterologous peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of an immunogenic fragment of an IGF1R polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35. 
     
     
       25. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 24 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the immunogenic fragment of the IGF1R polypeptide is selected from SEQ ID NOs: 36-55. 
     
     
       26. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 19  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic fragments of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising a MHC class II binding epitope, wherein said additional immunogenic fragments consist of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 2-15. 
     
     
       27. The immunogenic peptide of  claim 19  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic fragments of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising an HLA-A2 binding epitope, wherein said additional immunogenic fragments consist of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 17-22. 
     
     
       28. A nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic peptide comprising an immunogenic fragment of an IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the immunogenic fragment consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16. 
     
     
       29. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 28  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       30. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 29  further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
       31. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 30 , wherein the adjuvant is a cytokine. 
     
     
       32. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 29 , wherein the nucleic acid is disposed within a plasmid expression vector. 
     
     
       33. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 29  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic peptides comprising an immunogenic fragment of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising a MHC class II binding epitope, wherein said immunogenic fragment consists of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 2-15. 
     
     
       34. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 29  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic peptides comprising an immunogenic fragment of the IGFBP2 polypeptide comprising a HLA-A2 class II binding epitope, wherein said immunogenic fragment consists of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 17-22. 
     
     
       35. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 29  further comprising one or more additional immunogenic peptides comprising the amino acid sequence of an immunogenic fragment of an IGF1R polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35. 
     
     
       36. The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 35 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the immunogenic fragment of the IGF1R polypeptide is selected from SEQ ID NOs: 36-55.